It is well known in the fresh produce industry that many varieties of fresh produce require storage at cool temperatures in order to maintain produce quality and prolong storage life. Storage under refrigerated conditions is required if produce growers, wholesalers, and retailers are to maximize profits on the produce they sell.
Controlled atmosphere storage is used successfully for storing produce after harvest. Some varieties of apples can be stored for several months in controlled atmosphere storage without an appreciable decrease in quality. However, once the apples are removed from controlled atmosphere storage and transported to a retail location, they are usually subjected to higher temperatures, which are not ideal for maintaining optimal fruit quality.
Despite the superior quality of produce stored under refrigeration, it is not uncommon for retailers to display and sell produce from unrefrigerated bins or shelves. For example, bags of apples are often stored and sold at room temperature due to a lack of practical and affordable refrigerated display space. As a result, consumers receive apples of inferior quality, and sellers lose revenue on damaged or unsaleable produce.
Apples are often stored in bins in a controlled atmosphere storage facility. Any handling of the apples which occurs during transfer from storage to a wholesale or retail location can result in damage to the fruit, making it unsaleable.
Based on the foregoing, it can be seen that it would be desirable to have an apparatus for storing and displaying produce such as apples, which would avoid the above noted problems. Specifically, it would be desirable to have an apparatus for maintaining optimal produce storage temperature while the produce is on display for sale. Additionally, it would be desirable to have such an apparatus that is portable, so that it can be positioned in an optimum location to encourage sales, or be moved from time to time as needs require. Furthermore, it would desirable for such an apparatus to provide a mechanism for raising the level of the produce being displayed, as produce is removed from the display, in order to maintain a full appearance and easy accessibility of the produce to the consumer.
Several U.S. patents attempt to provide such an apparatus. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,081 (Anderson 1995) discloses a tote bin cooler for facilitating the handling, cooling and display of bulk shipped fresh produce at the point of sale. The apparatus includes a refrigerated cabinet adapted to receive a produce tote bin through an opening in the side of the cabinet. Straps are provided for engaging the tote bin and pulling it into position in the cabinet. The tote bin has a movable floor that can be raised as produce is removed from the bin. A scissor jack type lifting mechanism is provided for lifting the floor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,253 (Spenard 1993) discloses a device similar to the Anderson '081 device. The Spenard '253 device employs a pair of inflatable air bladders to raise and lower the movable floor of the tote bin. Spenard provides conveyor rollers over which the tote bin is rolled for positioning the tote bin in the cabinet.
While the Anderson and Spenard devices provide a partial solution to the problems described above, further improvements are needed. A device which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and transport would be an improvement over the known devices. Additionally, a device which can easily receive and discharge a tote bin would be desirable. Because the device would be placed on a retail sales floor, it would further be desirable to make it as compact, streamlined and attractive as possible to maximize usage of the available space.